Blog: Mosquito control essential for summer

Thursday

Jul 10, 2014 at 10:00 AM

How's the song go? "Summer time and the living is easy." That is untilyou're bothered by that old seasonal nemesis the mosquito. The Henry andStark County Health Departments offer the following information onthe summer mosquito season and the potential health risks associated withmosquito bites.

Rae-Ann Tucker-Marshall Henry-Stark Health Department

How's the song go? "Summer time and the living is easy." That is untilyou're bothered by that old seasonal nemesis the mosquito. The Henry andStark County Health Departments offer the following information onthe summer mosquito season and the potential health risks associated withmosquito bites.

This year the Health Department is urging individual property owners,property owner associations, and municipalities to take more aggressiveaction to reduce the number of mosquitoes this season. Increased publiceducation and understanding of mosquito reproduction along with increasedsurveillance to identify and eliminate breeding sites are the most effectiveways to reduce the number of mosquitoes.

As the weather heats up and mosquito traps are set near area parks andcampgrounds. When mosquitoes or birds test positive for the virus, enhancedpublic education and prevention efforts are encouraged and initiated."The Culex mosquito is the most common vector of West Nile Virus and otherviral illnesses. The Culex mosquito relies mostly on artificial containersfor breeding sites. Adds David, "An artificial container is anything thatwill hold water more than 4 to 5 days. Enormous numbers of mosquitoes areproduced day after day in such containers."

Therefore, the Health Department urges area residents to take thefollowing steps to eliminate mosquito breeding sites:

* Discard all useless containers such as tin cans, tires, and stack bucketsupside down when empty.* Turn boats and canoes down when not in use.* Don't allow water to stand in low areas for more than one week, add smallamounts of fuel oil each week to standing pools of water that can't bedrained.* Empty and clean wading pools and bird baths once a week.* Drain all livestock tanks once a week.* Cover rain barrels and cisterns with mesh wire screening.* Puncture holes in the bottom of tire swings to drain accumulated water.* Clean out gutters and spouts of accumulated debris.* Repair or replace screening on doors and windows with appropriate mesh.

For more information on West Nile Virus or Mosquito Control Measurescall the Health Department at (309) 852-0197 (Henry) or (309) 852-3115(Stark) or visit our website at www.henrystarkhealth.com or find us onFacebook at Henry and Stark County Health Departments.